Ched Evans - should he play football again?

Is anyone thinking the same as me? As in...would he even be GOOD enough to play league football now? He was only a League One player when he left and hasn't played for two years.

[iup=3592131]DML[/iup] wrote:Is anyone thinking the same as me? As in...would he even be GOOD enough to play league football now? He was only a League One player when he left and hasn't played for two years.

To answer your question Paolo Rossi was banned from football for 2 years for illegal betting, his comeback was playing for Italy in the 1982 World Cup, a world cup where he became the top scorer and Italy went on to win. Also you have those cases where players end up not playing over 6-12 months because of an injury (like fat ronaldo) and are still able to make a come back. You also have other footballers who served prison sentences and will still capible of playing at the top level afterwards.
So in short when you are already a professional not playing the game for a prolonged period of time isn't that big of a factor.

United didn't sack him, they allowed his contract to expire (obviously they couldn't justify a new one given he would be incarcerated!) but they didn't actually terminate that contract.

I think he's served his sentence and so should have to do what anyone else does in his shoes; disclose his record, face exclusion from particular at-risk roles and then be given the same chance as anyone else. As Cal and others have said; either we believe in the concept of punishment, rehabilitation and a second chance or we don't. However, I also think that any club who might consider hiring him will need to look at what kind of baggage he will bring with him and be free to refuse him entry on that basis. But to deny him his job back 'on principle' would be fundamentally wrong and send a horrendous message.

[iup=3592136]Dan.[/iup] wrote:United didn't sack him, they allowed his contract to expire (obviously they couldn't justify a new one given he would be incarcerated!) but they didn't actually terminate that contract.

I wasn't aware of that, it explains why they waited a month before letting him go then. Had his contract had 12 months or more on it I still think the club would have made an appeal to terminate the contract without paying a fee.

I think it's only fair he's allowed to apply to get a job and if a club is willing to accept a convicted rapist, then so be it. I wouldn't want him at my club but why should he not be allowed a chance?

Corazon de Leon

As Skarjo and Cal have said, you do the crime and you serve the time. I was talking about this last night in regard to Michael Vick, the NFL player who did time in federal prison for animal cruelty(he was forcing dogs to fight in his home in Atlanta IIRC).

A lot of people thought he shouldn't have played again, but by the letter of the law he was rehabilitated, and had a skill which a professional sports team - in this case Philadelphia Eagles - could use. Like Vick, Evans will need to show any potential employer that he's had a conviction for a serious crime(more serious, in Evans' case) and then it really is down to the employer whether or not they want to take him on.

I don't think he will play - Ched Evans is no Paolo Rossi, he's not even a Jermaine Pennant and the bad publicity would be tremendous for any team who tries to take him on(didn't something similar happen with Marlon King?) but he certainly shouldn't be barred from trying.

Don't know how he managed it but Marlon King always seems to find a club no matter what gooseberry fool he does.

[iup=3592257]Dig Dug[/iup] wrote:Don't know how he managed it but Marlon King always seems to find a club no matter what gooseberry fool he does.

He was last at Sheffield United too :lol:

[iup=3592072]blackoutHERO[/iup] wrote:He has served his sentence so he can do whatever he wants like anyone else who isn't in jail.

[iup=3592259]Irene Demova[/iup] wrote:
[iup=3592257]Dig Dug[/iup] wrote:Don't know how he managed it but Marlon King always seems to find a club no matter what gooseberry fool he does.

He was last at Sheffield United too

They are a pretty desperate club these days being in league 1 and all.

He should be able to play again, but not sure who would want him. Football nowadays is a lot about image. Why would a club want a convicted rapist in their team? Then again, banana splits like Joey barton persistently get jobs in football despite all their assaults etc.

I can't imagine the world of football would miss Ched Evans should he not play again though. I'm sure there are other players to fill the void who are dirty little rapists.

He should absolutely be allowed to play again, we can't let people out of prison (whatever the crime) and then forbid them from earning a living.

But that doesn't mean anybody has to employ him. I would be disgusted if my club signed him and they would get no money or support from me while he was employed.

So yeah he should be allowed to play but nobody should play him.

He is well within his rights to work for anyone he wants now that he has served his sentence. It's up to the club to decide whether they want the bad publicity of having a convicted rapist on their team.

I read the thread title as Chris Evans, rapist.

Not that I know an awful lot about this, but doesn't the fact that he still claims he is innocent of the charge effect any argument where you make rehabilitation a factor on if he should be allowed to play again?

Surely he can't be rehabilitated if he doesn't think he was ever guilty...on the other hand if it was a miscarriage of justice and at some point he gets the charge overturned, where does that factor in?

There is nothing to stop him from playing again, it just depends on wheter a club wants to employ him or not.

It's not as if he has attacked someone on the street and raped someone either. The girl has gone back to a hotel room with two people, had too much drink, and then had sex. What did she think they were going to do when they got back to the hotel?

[iup=3592434]PatSharpsMullet[/iup] wrote:There is nothing to stop him from playing again, it just depends on wheter a club wants to employ him or not.

It's not as if he has attacked someone on the street and raped someone either. The girl has gone back to a hotel room with two people, had too much drink, and then had sex. What did she think they were going to do when they got back to the hotel?

You need to change your avatar to Judy Finnigan.

[iup=3592437]Moggy[/iup] wrote:
[iup=3592434]PatSharpsMullet[/iup] wrote:There is nothing to stop him from playing again, it just depends on wheter a club wants to employ him or not.

It's not as if he has attacked someone on the street and raped someone either. The girl has gone back to a hotel room with two people, had too much drink, and then had sex. What did she think they were going to do when they got back to the hotel?

You need to change your avatar to Judy Finnigan.

I'm not saying he's innocent, but it doesn't help that she was too drunk to remember what had happened. The only person that knows what happened are him and his friend. They've found him guilty, and quite rightly so, as by the letter of the law, it's classed as rape.

I certainly wouldn't him at Blackburn, but if another club wants to employ him then let them. After all Marlon King, Luke McCormick and Lee Hughes have all gone on to play again after being jailed for similar, or worse crimes, so why should it be a special case for him?

[iup=3592093]degoose[/iup] wrote:
[iup=3592088]BSA[/iup] wrote:No way should he back in the public eye, imagine being the victim? The person who scarred you for life is basically being shoved in your face.

yeah if you watch league one football and specifically sheffield united , so your saying that basically he isn't allowed to have a career again using the skills he has. What would you recommend then?

He can't use those skills to get a career again, bless his little raping heart.

People who do watch those games (including any teams that happened to play against Sheffield) now have the knowledge that a man can rape somebody and still have a successful life. Rehabilitation aside, I don't think that's a great message to send.

A job where people/victims can't watch him on television. One man's opinion.

Ched Evans - should he play football again?

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